Aerial payload delivery systems, also known as ram canopy parachute systems, offer the capability to deliver large payloads and or people to undeveloped or inaccessible locations. The canopies in these systems are well known and often referred to as parafoils from which payloads may be suspended via control lines. The parafoils are generally constructed of an upper canopy and a lower canopy connected by a cell structure, also known as ribs, that is well known in the art. The flexible parafoils provide aerodynamic lift by virtue of shape of the canopy and an alteration in the shape can greatly affect the directionality of the parafoil.
Several autonomous guided systems have been developed that use trailing edge brake deflection for lateral control by altering the shape of the parafoil that have been shown to increase landing accuracy. The control of internal air vented through the upper surface of the canopy creating aerodynamic spoilers has been shown to improve glide slope control. Such known autonomous systems have involved altering the control lines from a device, such as an actuator, on or within the payload to alter the shape of the parafoil. These known control lines create aerodynamic drag and can become tangled or damaged upon deployment resulting in loss of control and landing accuracy. Known control mechanisms for autonomous parafoils are heavy and expensive with limited performance.
Accordingly, there is a need for an autonomous payload delivery system that is lightweight and small with increased aerodynamic efficiency and glide slope control enabling improvement in landing accuracy.